


Radio Silence

by ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Brothers, Diego Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Diego Hargreeves is Bad at Feelings, Dysfunctional Family, Feelings, Good Sibling Diego Hargreeves, Hurt No Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Mentioned Ben Hargreeves, Patch is just kinda there sorry, Police Officer Diego Hargreeves, Pre-Season/Series 01, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Well he tries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23621062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt/pseuds/ApplePieThatsFrickingWorthIt
Summary: A drug bust at Patch's station brings in a familiar face. Diego confronts his brother with some heavy feelings.
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves & Klaus Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves/Eudora Patch
Comments: 11
Kudos: 277





	Radio Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I wrote this ages ago and just found it and thought I'd polish it up and post. I really hope you enjoy it, if you do a Kudos or comment would make my day! Thanks so much for reading xx

The police station was transformed at night, both silent and bubbling, constantly changeable. Not exactly the prime study enviroment but Diego didn’t mind, he could learn more from watching Eudora at work than he ever could from some stupid books. She was a force to be reckoned with and he found himself in awe of her everyday, amazed that someone as wonderful as her could even look twice at a broken shell of a man such as himself. Not that he let her know it, he keep as much of that darkness bottled away from her, for fear of tainting what they had. He knew that the day it broke there would be no turning back. 

A commotion could be heard outside the doors, heavy foot fall, people shouting out. Chuck, Patch’s partner, burst through the door, holding a file which he dropped down on the desk. 

“Drug bust. Heroin mostly I reckon, a lot of it.”

“How many in custody?” Eudora asked, taking the file. 

“Nine, I reckon three more present but they fled the scene. Managed to ID most of them though.” He said, pointing to a list of names. 

Diego placed a fresh mug of coffee on her desk, strategically so he could lean over her shoulder. His eyes scanned the sheet, praying that his instinct was wrong - sometimes it was, not every drug bust was personal, maybe this time -

_ Hargreeves, Klaus _

“That son of a bitch.” Diego muttered, pushing himself off the desk, heading towards the doors. 

“Diego!” Patch called after him

“What’s his deal?” Chuck asked and Patch sighed, pulling herself out of her chair. 

“His brother.” She said, heading off after her boyfriend. 

  
  
  


“Where is he? Hargreeves? Which cell?” Diego barked at Dante, a young officer. 

“Oh, umm, I’m not sure I’m meant -”

“Which cell!” Diego barked. Dante stuttered, fumbling with his clipfile. 

“Ummm… 4, cell 4.” 

“Open it.” Diego ordered and the young man nodded nervously, his key chain rattling as he unlocked the door. 

“I’m really not meant to be…”

“He’s my brother. I don’t need long.” Diego said, storming into the cell. 

“Well, do my eyes deceive me, Diego! Mi Hermano!” Klaus raised his arms, beaming, greeting his brother as he came barrelling into the room. Diego didn’t stop, he collided into Klaus’s attempted embrace, pushing him back into the wall. 

“You bastard! What the hell are you playing at!” Diego barked, holding Klaus against the wall like a rag doll.

  
“Hey! Hey, easy! Easy tiger!” Klaus begged, strugglingly against his grip, his voice cracking as Diego compressed his body. 

“Diego! Get off him!” Patch snapped from the doorway. Diego hesitated a moment, staring at his brother's gaunt face. Finally he let go, letting out a frustrated sigh as Klaus fell forwards, sliding down the wall, coughing.

“Jez-jesus Diego! Is that any way to greet your favourite brother!... Of course I am who else would it be, you? Come off it at least I’ve got a pulse smart arse.” 

Diego closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as Klaus rambled to nothingness. 

“Diego, you cannot be doing this, you have to leave,  _ now _ .” Patch said, calmly but sternly. 

“Five minutes.” Diego said, turning to her. She glared at him.

“Eudora, it’s my brother, please, just five.” He was practically begging now, his eyes no longer angry, just...sad. Patch sighed. 

“Fine. Five minutes, no violence.” She said, and he smiled at her a little. 

“Thank you.” 

“Hey don’t thank me, I was never here.” She said, turning to go, pulling the door shut behind her. Diego took a deep breath, before slowly turning back to Klaus. His brother had picked himself off the floor and was now perched on the cot in the corner. It was then that Diego realised he had no idea what to say. He just stared. 

“Well...fancy seeing you here! Long time now see, huh bro? How’ve you been? I’ve been fantastic, me and Ben, been seeing all the sights, you know, living it up big -”

“Stop!” Diego snapped suddenly, without even realising. “Just, stop it Klaus.” He sighed, softer. 

“You okay Di?” Klaus asked, sounding genuinely worried. Diego just laughed. 

“Am I…? Wow. Jesus Klaus. I thought you were dead!” Diego shouted, the gravity of what he had just said slowly setting in. “I thought you were dead.” He whispered. Slowly taking a seat on the far side of the cot. 

“Oh.” Klaus settled down for a moment, but it couldn’t last long. “Well...surprise!” He shook jazz hands in the air with a smile. Diego just stared. 

“You’re unbelievable.” He chuckled coldly, shaking his head. “I bet you’re fucking high now right?” 

“I mean, I’ve been high since we were twelve dude, you really surprised?” Klaus leaned back on the cot and Diego pushed himself to his feet in anger. 

“Don’t play games smartass.” 

“Don’t ask questions you know the answer to then.” Klaus retorted and Diego clenched his fists. 

“God if it wouldn’t class as police brutality I swear, I would beat your ass right now.” Diego threatened and Klaus sighed, examining his chipped nails.

“Sure you would, tough guy.” 

Diego cried out in frustration, kicking the end of the cot, causing Klaus to jump. 

“Jeez! Anger management dude! Actually, I’ve got the best thing for that somewhere, just gotta open yourself up to...new horizons.” He sniggered.

“For fucks sake do you hear yourself?!” 

“Hey, I’m kidding! Look, I was just minding my business, I ain’t even in for drugs! Public urination! I promise! I don’t know where these assholes expect me to go now though, all bathrooms have a price now, fucking capitalism!” 

“Don’t lie to me Klaus.” Diego warned. 

“I’m not!” 

“I’m a fucking cop Klaus, I’ve seen the paperwork.” Klaus paused for a second, reevaluating his approach. 

“So...does that mean you could let me…” He jestered to the door and Diego scoffed. 

“Yeah not a chance stoner boy.” He said and Klaus slumped.

“Worth a shot.” He muttered. “So...what now? If you ain’t gonna let me out or beat me up, pray what exactly is the meaning of your visit? A little family reunion? You got Dad hiding out there too? Flown Allison in from Hollywood? God, is this an intervention finally? Bit late in the day don’t you think?”

Diego sighed heavily, sliding down the opposite wall, sitting across from his scrawny brother. His clothing was torn, black eyeliner smudged down his face, his feet bare. 

“Do you know how I spend my days Klaus?” He asked slowly. 

Klaus paused but didn’t answer. 

“I sit, with my radio, and I listen. Every day, I listen for reports of a 10 -19. You know what that is?” 

Klaus guessed before he said it. 

“Overdose.” Diego let the word hang for a moment. “I listen for it every day, and every time I hear it, it feels like you’ve died. Every  _ single _ time. Do you have any idea what that’s like?” 

Klaus swallowed awkwardly, looking down at his toes.

“Everyone else, everyone else gets to fuck off, to LA, to music school or the moon or -” He stopped himself from bringing Five and Ben into it. “Everyone else is gone and I’m sat here with that fucking radio.” 

“I never asked you to.” Klaus whispered and Diego smirked darkly. 

“Don’t. Don’t pull that on me Klaus.” 

Klaus shrank back. 

“Just, when you want help, it’s here, but until then I don’t ever wanna see you back in here yeah?” Diego said, standing and moving towards the door. 

“I...I can’t.” Klaus whispered, his voice pained. “You don’t understand. I just...can’t.” 

Diego nodded sadly.

“Well then, I guess I’ll see you when you can then.” He turned round quickly so he couldn’t see the damp to Klaus’ eyes, knocking on the door to be released. 

“Goodbye, Mi hermano.” Klaus whispered. 

Diego didn’t like the finality in his voice. But he didn’t turn back, he couldn’t. He took a deep breath, and stepped out of the cell. He didn’t turn around again until Dante had locked it behind him. He bit his lip to stop it from quivering.

Eudora appeared, looking more sympathetic than when she had left. She didn’t say anything, just squeezed his arm. He nodded stiffly, letting her lead him away. 

That night, as he lay in bed, he reached out a hand. Fingers finding his radio in the dark, fiddling with the dial in the dark, just making sure it was on, listening out, hoping, as always, for signs of life in the darkness. 


End file.
